Where the Bruised Cucumber meets the Sippy Cup!

A Loud Mama with a loud family, living imperfect lives glorified through God and breaking free of the bondage of politically correct Religion. We do things differently around the Viking Homestead, and hope that, by sharing our lives, we can help others feel more comfortable with their differences as well.


05 March, 2012

Moms and Merit Badges

Proof that I do indeed rock!
Ok, so, I should start this off by stating that I am NOT judging other mama's.  As long as you are doing what is best for you and yours, then go mama!  Seriously.  I won't judge you, you don't judge me, we agree to disagree when we reach diffent parenting decions and life goes one.  I don't usually go to playgroups or mommy groups or even take part in online forums because that seems to be where I find the dreaded 'merit badge moms'.  I do what I do for my family because its what works for MY family.  It may not work for your family due to differences in personality, eating habits, allergies, ages of children, health issues, space issues, money issues or any other number of issues.  As long as you are doing what you do with the best of intentions and out of love for your family and its working for you, then go mom!! :)  However, if you are doing what you do to 'fit in', thats when it's NOT right, in my opinion.  Parenting isn't about 'fitting in' with anyone.  Its about raising your children.  You'll notice that on some message boards or online pages for your local playgroup you will notice that after a Mom's name, she will have listed 'mama to:' and her children's names.  I do that as well, as I wouldn't be there if I weren't a mom. :)  However, after that, I've seen more causes, agendas, methods of parenting, etc. listed than I think I could find in an ENTIRE Dr. Sears book!  I don't do that.  I don't need to impress people with my parenting resume.  Now, I'm always happy to discuss how I raise my kiddos and what works for us.  If someone asks me where Little Valkyrie goes to school, I don't lie based on who I am talking to.   She is homeschooled and thats what I tell them.  Do I use cloth diapers? Yeah, but not all the time.  Vaccines?  We did our homework and decided that yes, our kids would get some vaccines.  And so on and so forth.  I see mom's whose signature takes up more space than the message they left.  Describing not only HOW many children they have, but how/if they educate, feed, diaper, vaccinate, birth, wean, sleep, circumcise, etc.  Really?  I could care less.  Do you love your children?  Do you care about their well being and do the best you can for them given your information and resources?  Then let the rest go! :)  You don't have to impress the world.  My most important job pays in kisses, cuddles and endless worry. I never WANTED to be a parent. I thought it was too hard and required too much(or giving UP too much as is often the case). I was partly right...it IS hard. Harder than I could have ever imagined, however, it is also more rewarding that I could have ever imagined. I didn't want to be a parent...until I could afford to pay someone to do most of the work for me. I intended to have a full time nanny and a housekeeper. Thats how it was gonna go in my house. I'm incredibly stubborn and was trying to avoid being a parent, even relieved when a doctor told me I would need to go through fertility treatments to conceive. God had a plan for me, lessons for me to learn, and ways for that all to happen. He put me on a cliff and pushed me off. It was time to fish or cut bait. I had to grow up. I could never have comprehended what I was getting myself into when I decided to go through with each of my(unplanned) pregnancies, but I thank God everyday that I'm lucky enough to have the most important job in the world: Being My Children's Mother! They are everything I never knew I always wanted. They are the greatest blessings in my world! Once I stopped worrying about what society thought of how I was parenting, I was able to be the kind of parent my children needed.  I have some odd views on things, and if something is working, I'm not going to change just to fit in someone else's box.  I don't need to be part of their 'group' if it requires me to change my ways and therefore deprive my children of the kind of mother THEY need.  My 'job' as my children's mother is to raise them to the glory of God and to love them the best I can.  Everything after that will fall into place after I realize how to best meet their needs.  So, Mama's(and Papa's), just love your kiddos and do what you have to do to be the parent THEY need....not the parent that someone else says they need.

2 comments:

  1. Heck yeah.

    Andria - Mom of Jase (8), Jude (4), & Lola (2)

    Regular diapers, Some vaccines, pro-epidural, public & private schooling, "You sleep in YOUR bed", pro-breastfeeding, all natural & organic, I love my kids to death kind of mom...

    LOL

    ReplyDelete